(CNSNews.com) - Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), endorsing Mitt Romney for president Thursday night in Tampa, said Romney is the man who can successfully change the direction of the country -- which is going "backwards" under President Obama, he said.

"Our problem with President Obama isn't that he's a bad person. By all accounts, he too is a good husband, and a good father -- and thanks to lots of practice, a pretty good golfer. Our problem is he's a bad president," Rubio said.

The senator noted that the new slogan for the Obama presidential campaign is "Forward."

"A government that spends $1 trillion more than it takes in. An $800 billion stimulus that created more debt than jobs. A government intervention into health care paid for with higher taxes and cuts to Medicare. Scores of new rules and regulations.

"These ideas don't move us 'Forward,' they take us 'Backwards.'

"These are tired and old big government ideas -- ideas that people come to America to get away from. Ideas that threaten to make America more like the rest of the world, instead of helping the world become more like America."

Rubio said on Obama's watch, "the only 'change' is that 'hope' has been hard to find.

"Now millions of Americans are insecure about their future. But instead of inspiring us by reminding us of what makes us special, he divides us against each other. He tells Americans they're worse off because others are better off. That people got rich by making others poor.

"Hope and Change has become Divide and Conquer," Rubio said.

"No matter how you feel about President Obama, this election is about your future, not his. And it's not simply a choice between a Democrat and a Republican. It's a choice about what kind of country we want America to be."